Process of treating hydrocarbons



G. EGLOF F PROCESS OF TREATING HYDROCARBONS Dec., 25

Filed Sept. 17 1917 wm. NN

lPatented Dec. Z5, 1923.

UNET STS item5 GUSTAV EGLOFF, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF TREA'ING HYDROCARBONS.

Application led September 17, 1917. Serial No. 191,802.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known -vthat I, GUsTAv EGLOFE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, county of New York, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes ofTreating Hydrocarbons, of which the following is'a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in process of treatinghydrocarbons and has as its salient object the heating of thehydrocarbons by suitable electrica-l resistance material submerged inthe body of oil in the still. During such heating the oil is dis--tilled under pressure.

In the drawing is shown a more'or less diagrammatic view of an apparatussuitable for carrying out my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a furnace having an oil or gascombustion chamber 2 and stack 3. In this furnace is seated ahorizontal. still 4. The furnace is used to externally heat the stillmerely for the purpose of raising the temperature of the Oilreliminarily to a distilling temperature. n the still is suitablysupported a suitable electrical resistance material 5, which mightv becarbon, nichrome material or other suitable electrical resistance. Thiselectrical resistance material is connected to a suitable source ofelectrical energy by the conductors 6 and 7. rPhe vapors p-ass out ofthe still in a vertical dephlegmating column or tower 8. This tower isconnected to an inclined reflux condenser pipe 9, which connects throughgooseneck 10 to an expansion chamber 11, having valve 26 and sightglass25 attached. The expansion chamber 11 is connected at its upper end to apipe 12 leading to a condenser coil 13 seated in water tank 14E. Thelower end of the coil 13 connectszto the upper end of a receivingchamber or tank 15. The drawoff pipe l16 leads from the lower end of thereceiving chamber and is controlled by throttle valve 17. A gauge glass18, pressure gauge 19 and gas valve 20 are also connected to thereceiving chamber. The still is provided with pressure gauge 21, safetyvalve (not shown) and pyrometers l22 and 23 as shown on they drawing. Avalve 24 is interposed in the reflux pipe 9 between the still and thecondensing side ofy the system. The arrangement is such that pressure ismaintained on the still and reflux condenser, but not on the expansionchamber and water condenser.

One of the main advantages of the use of the electrical resistancematerial is to obtain a very accurate temperature control. It hastemperature may vary from 4000 to 1,0000

F. and the pressure from -20 to 200 pounds, or more. A suitable oiltemperature may be 750O F. in treating mid-continent gas oil and apressure of 110 lbs. will be satisfactory to convert 30% or more gas oilinto gasoline.

The invention is not limited to the details of process shown, except asSet forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process of treating hydrocarbons to convert heavy into lighterhydrocarbons which consists in'raising the oil to a Adistillingtemperature, by suitable heating means while maintaining the oil in asubstantial body and then carrying the process out by heating the oilwith an electrical resistance material immersed in the body of the oiland during the treatment maintaining a pressure' in excess of 20 lbs. tothe square inch during distillation.

2. A rocess of treating hydrocarbons to convert eavy into lighterhydrocarbons consisting in externally heating the oil maintained in asubstantial body to a distilling temperature, continuing the conversionby internally heating the oil body by an electrical resista-nce unit,confining a percentage of the`generated vapors above the oil body -formaintaining a regulated vapor pressure in excess of twenty pounds to thesquare inch upon the oil during treatment.

3. A process of treating hydrocarbon to convert heavy into lighterhydrocarbons consisting in heating externally an oil body to adistilling temperature, continuing the conversion of said body byheating internally the oil body with an electrical resistance materialimmersed in the body of the oil and during the treatment maintaining a.pressure in excess of twenty pounds per ksquare inch during distillatiol ens-rnv EGLoFi.

